Forty-odd terms that show up on quotes, bills of lading, and tariff sheets -- explained in plain language by the people who'd run your move -- moving terms in plain language.
Accessorial Charges
Fees for services beyond the standard pickup-pack-transport-deliver line item. Examples: long carry, stair carry, shuttle service. Listed separately on the tariff.
Additional Charges
A broader umbrella than accessorial -- any charge added to the base linehaul, including fuel surcharges, after-hours work, and unforeseen access requirements.
Additional Insurance
Coverage you can purchase above the standard valuation. Used for high-value collections, art, jewelry, and antiques. Available for purchase on your move -- ask your senior estimator.
Advanced Charges
Fees the moving company pays on your behalf to a third party -- piano tuners, hoisting crews, appliance servicers -- and bills back on the final invoice.
Agent
A local company authorized to book and run moves under a national van line authority. We run our own crews on the moves we operate, and stay your single point of contact from start to finish.
Appliance Service
Disconnecting, prepping, and reconnecting major appliances. Typically arranged in advance and billed as an advanced charge.
Assessed Value Coverage
A valuation method that pays out based on an agreed-in-advance dollar amount per item, rather than depreciated weight. Used for high-value goods.
Bill of Lading
The contract between you and the mover. It lists what's being shipped, where it's going, who's responsible for what, and the valuation in effect. Always read it before signing.
Binding Estimate
A fixed price for the move, written in advance and held to on move day. Doesn't change unless you change the scope. We write binding estimates wherever the inventory and access allow.
Bulky Article
An oversized item that doesn't pack into a standard carton -- a Steinway, a hot tub, a large sculpture. Listed individually on the inventory and quoted separately.
C.O.D.
Cash on Delivery: payment collected before the shipment is unloaded. We typically bill against an estimate or a pre-arranged account rather than COD.
Carrier
The licensed company moving the freight. For your move, the carrier is Black Diamond Moving & Storage.
Commercial Goods
Inventory belonging to a business -- office furniture, retail stock, records. Quoted and protected differently than household goods.
Divider
A wall installed inside the trailer to separate your shipment from others on the same truck. Used when your load doesn't fill the rig.
Expedited Service
A guaranteed pickup and delivery date, with the truck dedicated to your shipment. Priced as a premium over standard linehaul.
Flight of Stairs
A run of seven or more stairs without a landing. Triggers a stair-carry charge on most tariffs. Listed in the pre-move survey.
Freight Service
Movement of goods by a commercial carrier on a published tariff. The umbrella the moving industry sits under from a regulatory standpoint.
Full Replacement Value Coverage
The highest standard valuation. The mover repairs, replaces, or pays the current replacement cost of a damaged item, with no deduction for age. Available for purchase on your move -- ask your senior estimator.
Full Service Mover
A company that packs, transports, and unpacks. Distinct from a self-service mover or a freight-only carrier.
Guaranteed Pickup and Delivery Service
A premium option locking in specific dates for both pickup and delivery, with compensation paid if the carrier misses either. Useful for closings and lease handovers.
High Value Article
Any single item declared at over $100 per pound. Art, antiques, watches, and collections fall here. Listed separately and covered under additional insurance.
Inventory
A numbered list of every item on the truck, including condition notes at pickup. The foreman walks it with you. You sign it. It's the document used to resolve any claim.
Interstate Move
A move that crosses state lines. Regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Requires a USDOT number on the truck and a published interstate tariff.
Intrastate Move
A move that stays within one state. Regulated by the state's public utilities commission.
Linehaul Charges
The base charge for moving the goods from origin to destination. The largest single line on most quotes. Calculated by weight and distance on interstate moves, by hours and crew on local moves.
Loading Ramp
The retractable ramp that bridges the truck and the driveway. Standard equipment on Black Diamond trucks.
Local Move
A move that stays within a defined service radius -- typically 50 miles. Quoted by hour and crew size, not by weight.
Local Moving
See Local Move.
Long Carry Charge
An accessorial fee triggered when the truck can't park within a defined distance of the door -- typically 75 feet. Common in gated developments and condos.
Moving Company
A licensed carrier that transports household goods for hire. Look for a USDOT number and a state motor carrier license before booking.
Order for Service
The document that authorizes the carrier to perform the move at the agreed price and scope. Signed before move day.
Order Number / Bill of Lading
A single reference number used to identify your shipment from quote through delivery. Keep it handy when calling dispatch.
Packing Service
Crew-performed packing of your household into purpose-made cartons, with a logged inventory and valuation coverage. Typically priced per carton or per labor hour.
Peak Season Rates
Higher tariff rates in effect during the busiest moving months -- for most carriers, mid-May through late August.
Piano
Classified as a bulky article and quoted individually. Different rates for spinet, upright, baby grand, and concert grand.
Pickup and Delivery Charges
Fees specific to the origin and destination addresses -- separate from the linehaul that gets the freight between them. Includes the crew time on either end.
Self-Service Mover
A carrier that drives the truck while you load and unload. Lower cost; you take on the labor and the liability.
Shuttle Service
A smaller truck used when the rig can't reach the door -- narrow roads, gated communities, weight restrictions, low clearances. Common in the valley.
Stair-Carry Charge
An accessorial fee for carrying goods up or down a flight of stairs. Listed by flight on the pre-move survey.
Standard Coverage
The default valuation, set by federal rule at sixty cents per pound per item on interstate moves. It's not insurance. Basic protection is carried on every move as standard; full valuation coverage is available for purchase if you'd like belongings protected at actual value. Ask your senior estimator about options and pricing.
Storage-In-Transit (SIT)
Temporary storage in a carrier's warehouse while a shipment is en route -- used when the destination home isn't ready. Limited to 180 days under federal rules.
Valuation
The dollar amount the carrier is liable for if a shipment is lost or damaged. Distinct from insurance. Basic protection is carried on every move as standard; full valuation coverage is available for purchase if you'd like belongings protected at actual value. Ask your senior estimator about options and pricing.
Warehouse Handling
A charge for moving goods in and out of storage. Distinct from the monthly storage rate itself.